usher
See also: Usher
English
WOTD – 29 January 2010
Etymology
From Middle English ussher, uscher, usscher, from Anglo-Norman usser and Old French ussier, uissier (“porter, doorman”) (compare French huissier), from Vulgar Latin *ustiārius (“doorkeeper”), from Latin ōstiārius, from ōstium (“door”). Akin to ōs (“mouth”). Probably a doublet of ostiary and huissier.
Pronunciation
- enPR: ŭshʹ-ər, IPA(key): /ˈʌʃəɹ/
- (General Australian) IPA(key): [ˈaʃ.ə(ɹ)]
- (UK) IPA(key): [ˈʌʃ.ə(ɹ)]
- (US) IPA(key): [ˈʌʃ.ɚ]
Audio (US) (file) Audio (AU) (file) - Rhymes: -ʌʃə(ɹ)
- Hyphenation: ush‧er
Noun
usher (plural ushers)
- A person, in a church, cinema etc., who escorts people to their seats.
- A male escort at a wedding.
- A doorkeeper in a courtroom.
- (obsolete) An assistant to a head teacher or schoolteacher; an assistant teacher.
- 1751, [Tobias] Smollett, chapter 12, in The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume I, London: Harrison and Co., […], published 1781, OCLC 316121541:
- [H]e defrayed the expence of his entrance, and left him in the particular care and inspection of the usher, who […] though obliged by the scandalous administration of fortune to act in the character of an inferior teacher, had by his sole capacity and application, brought the school to that degree of reputation which it never could have obtained from the talents of his superior.
- 1791, James Boswell, “(please specify the year)”, in The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. […], London: […] Henry Baldwin, for Charles Dilly, […], OCLC 1193162412:
- He began to learn Latin with Mr. Hawkins, usher, or under-master of Lichfield school, ‘a man (said he) very skilful in his little way.’
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- (dated, derogatory) Any schoolteacher.
Synonyms
- (male attendant at a wedding): groomsman, bridesman
Derived terms
- usheress
- usherette
Translations
person who escorts people to their seats
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male escort at a wedding
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doorkeeper in a courtroom
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
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Verb
usher (third-person singular simple present ushers, present participle ushering, simple past and past participle ushered)
- To guide people to their seats.
- 1836, “Boz” [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], Sketches by “Boz,” Illustrative of Every-day Life, and Every-day People. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: John Macrone, […], OCLC 912950347, chapter THE CURATE. THE OLD LADY. THE HALF-PAY CAPTAIN.:
- Her entrance into church on Sunday is always the signal for a little bustle in the side aisle, occasioned by a general rise among the poor people, who bow and curtsey until the pew-opener has ushered the old lady into her accustomed seat, dropped a respectful curtsey, and shut the door;
- 1960 March, G. Freeman Allen, “Europe's most luxurious express - the "Settebello"”, in Trains Illustrated, page 140:
- Needless to say, one's seat must be booked in advance and a platoon of urbane officials, one to each door of the train, awaits passengers to usher them to their seats and relieve them of their bulkier baggage.
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- To accompany or escort (someone).
- 1898, John Lothrop Motley, The Rise of the Dutch Republic, page 509
- Margaret was astonished at the magnificence of the apartments into which she was ushered.
- 1898, John Lothrop Motley, The Rise of the Dutch Republic, page 509
- (figuratively) To precede; to act as a forerunner or herald.
- 1912, Elizabeth Christine Cook, Literary Influences in Colonial Newspapers, 1704-1750, page 31
- Thus the Harvard poets and wits ushered The New England Courant out of existence.
- 1912, Elizabeth Christine Cook, Literary Influences in Colonial Newspapers, 1704-1750, page 31
- (figuratively, transitive) To lead or guide somewhere.
- 2011 December 29, Keith Jackson, “SPL: Celtic 1 Rangers 0”, in Daily Record:
- McCoist unexpectedly ushered back a defender of his own with Kirk Broadfoot taking over from Steven Whittaker. There was, of course, another change, Kyle Bartley stepping in at centre-half to replace suspended Dorin Goian.
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Derived terms
- usher in
Translations
to guide people to their seats
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to accompany or escort
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to precede; to act as a forerunner or herald
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Anagrams
- Huser, Rhues, Ruhes, Uhers, erhus, huers, shure